The Sanctifying Shield, part 5

When Jefferson became President, he even loaned out the Treasury building to one congregation for their worship services because there weren’t sufficient buildings in D.C. for worship at the time.
 

So, this lie (separation of church and state) has been repeated so often and so strenuously, that it has taken over our government, and led to the slow but steady erosion of our rights as Americans.

That’s what happens when you hear, listen to, a lie often enough – it changes your life for the worse. But, by contrast, if you hear the TRUTH often enough – especially God’s Truth – then you begin to believe the words of life. The words of God’s wisdom, words that will give you life, and life more abundantly. 
 

When Jesus said “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” in John 17:17, He was saying that the Scriptures are not only true, but they have the power to protect you, and give you life in a dying world.
 

October 21, 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and the six men in the plane with him crashed into the Pacific Ocean. They managed to get out before their plane sank and they soon found themselves drifting on the ocean, in three rafts, with no fresh water, and only four oranges.
 

One of those in the rafts was, Lieutenant James Whittaker. In his book, “We Thought We Heard the Angels Sing,” he told of how they survived. He said they tied their rafts together and drifted day after day without food or fresh water. They became delirious under the relentless sun and they constantly saw the fins of sharks that circled their rafts.
 

It seemed impossible for them to survive, but one of the men, Private Johnny Bartek, was a dedicated Christian who always carried a little New Testament with him. And there, in the middle of the Pacific, Bartek had his devotions. It wasn’t very private and the other six men wanted to know what he was doing. When he explained to them about his daily Bible reading and prayer, they asked him why they couldn’t all share in that.
 

So the men began having daily devotions together, they started with Gospel of Matthew. When they came to 6:31-34, the words there immediately became their inspiration, and prayer. They recited Jesus’ words: “What shall we eat?” “What shall we drink?” “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
 

Then, a remarkable series of miracles started happening. Just when they were near starvation, for example, a bird landed on Rickenbacker’s head. They grabbed it, carved it up for food, and used its innards for fishing bait. Just when they were near death by thirst, a cloud would drift over and fill their raft with water. Day after day as they read these verses, prayed, and claimed these promises; God somehow sent food and water, sometimes even a fish, jumping into their raft.
 

For 21 days they drifted under the blazing sun, in the middle of the Pacific. And because of what he saw God do, in response to their Bible reading and prayer, Lieutenant James Whittaker, the author of the book, gave his life to Jesus Christ.
 

He later wrote: “I don’t think there was a man of us who didn’t thank God for that little khaki covered book.” He said, “It led us to prayer and prayer led us to safety.”
 

Jesus said: “Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth” John 17:17. That truth gives us Hope, hope for today. We can be IN the world and NOT be OF the world, and Hope for eternity, what can separate us from the love of God.   END